Fresh, insect-based dog food startup secures $1.46 million in funding

LONDON — Tuggs, a UK fresh, insect-based dog food startup, announced on Sept. 9 that it secured £1.1 million ($1.46 million USD) in funding from a range of investors. The company received the funding this May and has since used the funds to further advance its business, helping it triple its revenue in the past nine months.

Founded in 2021 by Harry Bremner, Tuggs was officially launched in late 2021. The company specializes in creating fresh dog foods formulated with insects, seeking to pioneer the use of sustainable proteins in the pet food industry, while also reducing its environmental footprint. 

According to data shared by Tuggs, a dog that consumes wet food is estimated to carry roughly the same carbon footprint as that of a human. Additionally, the pet food industry is estimated to account for up to 30% of the carbon emissions produced in food production. With this in mind, Tuggs is leveraging farmed insects to help reduce its burden on the environment, as these protein sources use up to 95% less land and water and produce less carbon emissions compared to beef protein, according to the company. 

Tuggs currently offers a variety of fresh formulas, all made with sustainability top of mind. The company’s recipes pair traditional proteins with insect-based proteins and vegetables, offering canines a healthy meal with an eco-conscious focus. The startup uses a direct-to-consumer (DTC), subscription model. 

“Our ethos is about reducing reliance on livestock without compromising on the nutritional composition of the food,” Bremner shared. “The main reason that consumers are choosing Tuggs is due to the quality of our products. However, we believe the onus is on us as a brand to build the product as sustainably as we can, which is why we’re pioneering the use of alternative proteins such as insects.”

Since its launch, the startup has sold more than 350,000 meals for dogs throughout the United Kingdom. Following this success, Tuggs recently moved into new offices in London. 

With this pre-seed funding, the company has enhanced its business, hiring additional personnel and investing in its product engineering and business development. 

“I had the pleasure of knowing Harry as he was developing the concept of Tuggs whilst doing his master’s degree at the University College London (UCL) Business School,” said Simon Hulme, professor at UCL’s School of Management and Tuggs’ first investor. “I found his approach extremely professional and he demonstrated great analytical skills, as well as the ability to make things happen. I was delighted to become one of the first shareholders and provide mentorship during the early stages of the business.”

For 2025, Tuggs is focused on transitioning its production entirely to the United Kingdom, seeking to align its sustainable values across the entirety of its operations. The company is currently working with an established, UK-based manufacturing partner and uses Red Tractor standards, which tout high accreditation in animal welfare. 

Additionally, Tuggs is currently working on a range of recipe developments for treats, which will represent an “industry-first” recipe combining meats with insects, according to the company.

“We have now proven that there is a very strong product-market fit for our offering, and we’re beginning the next stage of scaling,” Bremner said. “We recently achieved one of the biggest milestones in our journey which was moving our entire production and supply chain to the UK. This has given us much greater control over our product development as well as providing significantly more scope for growth. We’re excited as we look ahead to 2025 where we’ll have the infrastructure in place to begin scaling much quicker whilst adding to our product offering.”

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